


Black Cat

by lalune15



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: College AU, Fluff, M/M, basically the post that's all over tumblr, halloween fic, harry gets scared, louis works at a haunted house
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-24
Updated: 2014-10-24
Packaged: 2018-02-22 09:43:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2503298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lalune15/pseuds/lalune15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by this tumblr post (not asked or requested): fic where louis works at a haunted house jumping out at people and harry’s friends drag him along even though he doesn’t really like haunted houses. when louis jumps out to scare their group, harry freaks out and accidentally jumps into louis’s arms. louis just squeaks. harry ends up sitting there with louis the rest of his shift and totally doesn’t come back every night after that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Black Cat

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I decided to write something Halloween-y, cause 'tis the season. Also because I've seen that au post everywhere. So if this has already been done, I'm sorry. Yours is probably better than mine. I wrote it in like an hour in an effort to avoid actual homework.

“That’s sick, dude, you have to show me how to do that,” Louis comments as he watches his best friend, Zayn, give himself a fake gash on the neck.

“If you can sit still for five minutes,” Zayn laughs, beckoning for Louis to sit in the chair in front of him. “You’ve been amped up all night.”

“The first one is always exciting, man. Besides, I have to be excited to scare kids all night. Who wants to be surprised by an apathetic zombie?”

“Fair enough,” Zayn concedes. “Now sit still. Before I give you a real cut.”

 //

“I hate all of you,” Harry mutters as Niall and Liam drag him towards the field.

“Nah, you love me,” Niall laughs, slinging an arm around Harry’s shoulder.

“No, I really, really don’t. And I don’t want to be here. You suck for making me come,” Harry pouts.

“Harry,” Liam sighs, “You’re going to be fine. It’s just regular people in makeup trying to get a scream out of you. These things are always cheesy anyway. You’ll probably laugh more than cry.”

“Wanna bet?” Harry exhales under his breath. His friends really are the worst.

It’s not that Harry is a wimp, exactly. He can watch scary movies and go on roller coasters and all that. He would just prefer, if possible, to not get jumped out at and surprised and followed by strange people in costumes. And that’s not that odd a request, if you ask him. This is why Christmas is better than Halloween.

“I promise you’ll have fun,” Liam tells him. “We’re all going to go do this haunted maze stuff and then we’re going to go to the diner and get the greasiest, hottest food imaginable. And then we’re going to sleep all day tomorrow. So it’s really not that bad when you put it in perspective.”

“I would honestly prefer studying for stats than doing this,” Harry replies. “And you know I suck at that class.” Harry, Niall, and Liam are all sophomores in college, Niall and Harry having met as roommates freshman year. They met Liam in their music history class and clicked instantly. Liam lives in the room attached to theirs through the bathroom with a stranger, some guy none of them ever really met. He dropped off some stuff on the first day of school, said he was going to his girlfriend’s room, and has yet to return. Liam’s not complaining.

“Don’t be such a baby, Harry. You’re practically twenty years old. It’s time to grow a set!” Niall accompanies this with a swift tap to Harry’s balls, running away when Harry chases after him to return the favor.

 //

“I don’t like this, Liam. I really don’t like this,” Harry whines as Niall and Liam carry him closer to the front of the line for the hayride.

 “It’s alright dude, just sit in the middle. No one can get you there,” Liam says, running a comforting hand over his back. The group of girls Niall’s flirting with behind them are laughing at him, he can tell, but he really doesn’t care. Harry keeps fiddling with the buttons on his flannel, buttoning and unbuttoning them. It’s all he’s choosing to focus on as they inch closer to the tractor.

As they board the hayride, Niall makes a point to announce to the entire cart that Harry’s terrified. Which results in him not being sheltered in the middle, as one would expect, but forced to the back corner of the hay bales. Prime scaring area.

“It’s ok, mister,” a little girl seating on Harry’s left side tells him. Niall’s sitting near the front, a girl on his lap. Harry has Liam on his right, trying to calm Harry down by constantly reassuring him it won’t be so bad. And she helps, honestly. Her and Harry spend the ride screaming together, Harry wrapping an arm around her shoulders and cowering into her when someone gets too close. It also helps that she can only be about ten. No one’s intent on giving her nightmares.

 When the ride ends, the girl’s parents thank him while she hugs Harry goodbye. But when she leaves, he’s screwed.

“I’m not going in there,” Harry states, freezing in his tracks when he lays eyes on the haunted house.

“Don’t be stupid Harry, of course you’re going in,” Niall commands, grabbing one of his hands to pull him forward. Liam takes a kinder approach yet again.

“Harry, the hayride wasn’t so bad, was it? You can handle this.”

“Fine,” Harry agrees sullenly. “I’ll do it. But you both owe me. Big time. Like, I should fill you entire bed with spoons, Liam.” Niall laughs while Liam looks insulted, but Harry continues. “I’m going to dump out all your beer, Niall. And hide you wallet so you can’t get more.”

“You wouldn’t,” Niall gasps.

“Yes, I would,” Harry protests. He lasts about three seconds before he changes his mind.

“Fine. I wouldn’t. But that’s what I should do.”

“Look, Harry, if you really don’t want to go in, then don’t. But you know you’ll regret it once you leave and wish you hadn’t been so afraid,” Liam replies.

“I hate it when you’re right,” Harry grumbles under his breath.

“You’re up,” the ticket collector tells the three as they reach the entrance to the haunted house. Niall takes up the lead, bounding in like he’s about to jump into a ball pit. Liam treads behind him, stopping to grab Harry’s hand and drag him forward.

“Come on, Harry. Three minutes max and then you’re done and you never have to come back,” he says. Harry gulps, nods his head, and walks slowly into the embarrassment he’s sure is awaiting him when he screams like a child and possibly wets his pants.

They can hear Niall’s laughs from ahead in the dark house, yelling “Lads! You gotta come check this out!” In this moment, Harry has never hated him more.

Harry and Liam round the corner, feeling fans blow cold air on them in the almost pitch-black air. Harry can feel eyes on him, hears someone breathing. He knows someone’s there. They’re tiptoeing down the hall when a low voice behind him commands, “Turn around.”

The pair turn and see a zombie covered in gashes and ripped clothing, but with an immaculate quiff, standing right behind them, grinning ghoulishly. Harry and Liam both scream and trip over each other in their efforts to get down the hall.

Harry’s heart is pounding and he feels more high-strung than he can ever remember. Which is why, as he turns the corner, he can’t help the high-pitched scream he emits as another demon moves to attack. He especially can’t help the way he launches himself into the air, landing squarely in the demon’s arms. The actor staggers backwards with a light “oof.”

“Oops,” Harry mutters, feeling so incredibly foolish. The demon lets out a small squeak. Harry turns to look at him, still in his arms, and oh. He didn’t expect a demon to have such beautiful eyes. Bright and blue and alive. Not the terrifying eyes of a sadist who gets his thrills scaring innocent people.

Liam comes up behind him and fixes him with a look of utter bewilderment. “Harry?”

“Um…” Harry starts, unsure of what to tell Liam.

“Hi,” the demon finally says after clearing his throat. It’s dark and he’s wearing makeup, but damn if he’s not blushing at this gangly boy who threw himself on him.

“What the hell?” Liam asks.

The actor sets Harry down gently. “Alright?” He asks, in a high, clear voice. A beautiful voice, really.

“Um, yeah,” Harry swallows. “I’m sorry, I just-“

A group of girls arrives behind them, Harry and Liam having clearly halted their progress.

“You go ahead,” the demon motions to the girls and Liam. “I think you need to sit down, Curly,” he instructs Harry. “Come on, I’ll take you back outside.”

The girls continue on their way and Liam follows after them, once he tells Harry he’ll text him when he’s met up with Niall. Harry just nods and follows whoever he just attacked, who’s walking back towards wherever he jumped out from, beckoning for Harry to follow him.

He takes Harry through a side exit back into the cool October air, across the field to a small, tented area where the workers must get ready. He leads Harry over to a plastic folding chair. “Sit,” he commands, pushing Harry’s shoulders gently. Harry sits.

The actor walks away, while Harry sits there, flushed with embarrassment. “Drink this,” he hears, and looks up to see a demon with rather nice cheekbones pushing a water bottle towards him.

“Thanks,” he mumbles, staring at his boots. It seems to be the best option.

“You alright?” He asks again, sitting down in the chair next to Harry’s.

“Yeah, yeah, just…incredibly embarrassed,” Harry stammers, still not looking up. “I’m so sorry I did that. I hope I didn’t hurt you.”

“Come on Curly, I’m short but I’m not weak,” the demon protests, and Harry finally looks up to meet his eyes.

“I’m Louis,” he offers, holding out his hand, smiling to reveal two rows of straight, white teeth.

“Harry,” Harry replies, shaking his hand gingerly.

“You don’t have to be so afraid, you know,” Louis says gently. “It’s all makeup and dark lighting. Just the atmosphere, really.”

“I must look like such an idiot,” Harry groans, dropping his head into his hands.

“Hey, no, you’re fine,” Louis assures him.

“So this type of thing happens a lot?” Harry asks him.

“Well, no,” Louis admits. “Can’t say a scared customer’s actually jumped into my arms before. Ran away from them, yes. But not into them. You’re an original, Harry.”

“Fantastic,” Harry mutters.

“It’s really not a big deal,” Louis repeats, resting his hand on Harry’s back. Harry doesn’t say anything, just keeps his face buried in his large palms. Louis rubs his hand on Harry’s back for a moment, trying to think of a way to cheer him up.

“Hey, want me to give you a makeover?” He asks, prompting Harry to lift his head up. His cheeks are flushed pink but his eyes are a brilliant emerald as they look at Louis in confusion.

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah, come on, it’ll be fun,” Louis says. “I’ll make you into a zombie. Then no one will bother you. Sound good?”

Harry regards him for a second, mulling something over in his mind. “Yeah, alright.”

//

“Mate, what happened to you?” Niall exclaims as Harry walks over to them, skin gray and curls mussed, eyes lined in black.

“Louis gave me a makeover,” Harry tells him, keeping his eyes focused straight ahead, away from Niall and Liam’s intense gazes.

“Louis?” Liam asks.

“Yeah, the guy who scared me,” Harry replies, keeping it brief.

“You mean the guy whose arms you jumped into when he was just doing his job?” Liam asks, holding back a smile.

“Wait, what?” Niall screeches, clearly confused.

“Can we just go?” Harry asks, walking back to the car.

“You’re not getting out of this, Harry!” Niall calls after him, running to catch up to him. “Tell me what happened. Now.”

So Harry does.

 //

“So let me get this straight,” Zayn clarifies. “Last night, that tall, skinny pale dude I followed down the hall was so scared by you that he jumped into your arms.”

“Yes,” Louis answers, voice strangled as he’s attempting to apply makeup while speaking to Zayn.

“And now you feel bad that you didn’t get his phone number?” Zayn asks incredulously.

“Right again,” Louis replies coolly.

“I’m just a little confused,” Zayn states. “What about that guy-“

“Harry,” Louis interjects.

“Whatever. What about Harry appealed to you? Was it the shaking? The almost tears? The way he jumped in the air like a startled cat?”

“Well, he’s not really like that,” Louis tells him. “His color came back as we talked. I brought him back here after I scared the piss out of him. And he’s nice. And funny. And, well, really awkward and kind of weird but in an adorable way. He was just scared, Zayn. That’s to be expected in a haunted house.”

“Yeah, by like, little kids and stuff. Not a grown man,” Zayn retorts.

“He’s our age, Zayn. Not exactly a grown man.”

“Louis, only you would get a crush on a guy you literally have to carry out of a haunted house that twelve-year-olds can get through,” Zayn laughs.

“He has nice eyes,” Louis says as he musses his hair up. “And great curls. His hair’s much better than yours.”

“Don’t be rude,” Zayn scolds.

“Don’t tease him, then. Not that it matters anyway. I’ll probably never see him again,” Louis sighs. “I’m so stupid.”

“Yeah. You are,” Zayn agrees. “Now, come on. Maybe another big baby will jump into your arms tonight.”

“Ha ha,” Louis answers drily. “One can only hope.”

 //

Harry wanders the edge of the haunted maze, not really keen on subjecting himself to the horror again. He only came for a zombie. A short, cute, zombie with strong arms and nice eyes who’s a little sarcastic but really sweet. He doesn’t really find that everyday.

He peeks his head into the tented area, but it’s pretty scarce. Louis is working anyway, he knew he would be, but it was worth looking to avoid the house for as long as possible.

Harry sighs, shoving his hands into the pockets of his green coat after adjusting his maroon beanie on top of his head. He pays his fee and gets in line, feeling awkward and out of place without Niall and Liam to tease him.

Harry makes his way to the entrance of the house and hands over his ticket, speeding down the dark hall as quickly as possible. A group of high school students came in with him, so he knows the first zombie is probably going after them. He reaches the corner and squares his shoulders, taking a deep breath before turning to look for Louis.

 He turns the corner and stops. There’s nothing. No Louis, no zombies. Harry can feel himself exhale, hearing the group of kids behind him scream and yell. He knows they’re not far behind.

“Back again, Curly?” A low voice murmurs right into Harry’s ear. He screams and jumps, turning around to the sound of Louis’ cackles.

“That’s not funny!” He cries, watching Louis laugh at him. His cheeks flush and he feels embarrassed.

“Here, come here,” Louis beckons, moving Harry to a dark patch of wall behind him. “If I spend every night talking to you, I’m going to lose my job.”

“Sorry, I can-“

“Shhh!” Louis cuts him off. “Just stay there for a second.” He wedges himself in next to Harry, pressing himself against him. Harry’s never stood more still in his life. The kids come around the bend and Louis jumps out at them, making them all scream and shout as they run down the hall.

Louis staggers after them dramatically for a bit, before turning around and coming back to Harry.

“You’re evil,” Harry remarks, sizing Louis up in his tattered clothing and gory makeup.

“Yeah, well, last night I was scary enough to get a cute boy to jump into my arms,” Louis retorts. “Tonight I’m hoping I can get a phone number out of it.”

Harry flushes, smiling at the ground. “So…do you get a break?”

"I get off at midnight,” Louis answers. “Meet me by the makeup tents?”

"Sure,” Harry breathes, opening his mouth to say more when Louis presses his hand against his mouth. Harry gulps.

 “Don’t move,” Louis whispers. Harry nods against his palm, eyes wide. Louis lets out a tiny laugh before crouching into position. He scares the next group and turns back to Harry.

“Alright, I have to kick you out before I forget I’m here to scare people. See you later?”

“Yeah, later,” Harry agrees. Louis shows him out the side door, knowing Harry’s too afraid to go through the rest of the house by himself.

When Louis heads back to the tents at 12, he sees a tall boy with wild curls standing by his spot with two Styrofoam cups in hand.

“I bought you hot chocolate,” Harry smiles. It’s all Louis can do to not stick his finger into those dimples.

“Thanks,” he says, taking one of the cups from Harry. “So…are you sure you want to be here? It’s about to get really scary.”

“What?” Harry asks, confused. “I thought everything just shut down.”

“It did,” Louis tells him. “But now you’ll have to see me without makeup on.”

Harry laughs, dropping into a chair while Louis starts removing his face paint.

“I’m sure I’ll be alright,” he answers, sipping his hot chocolate and looking at all the workers milling around while Louis quickly removes his makeup.

“So tell me Curly, why on Earth would you come back here when I very clearly scared the daylight out of you yesterday? That’s not even an exaggeration, you were white as a sheet last night.”

“Well, it’s not every stranger who would give you a makeover after you kind of attack him,” Harry drawls.

“So you do this often?” Louis asks, pulling his tattered t shirt over his head and replacing it with a normal shirt and a black hoodie.

“Actually, I-“ Harry starts to answer but stops when Louis turns to look at him, makeup free and dressed normally.

“What? Why do you look like that?” Louis asks. “I told you I was horrible without makeup on.”

“No, you’re…” Harry swallows hard. “You’re beautiful.” He blushes and runs a hand through his hair, offering Louis a shy smile.

“You’re not bad yourself,” Louis smiles back.

“So,” Harry starts. “Are you going to let me ask you out, or will I have to come back here every night? Because I really don’t like haunted houses and I’ve already been in this one twice.”

 Louis laughs. “What if the answer is both? And don’t think you’re actually going to get away with that, you have to complete the entire house for it to count.”

 //

 It’s Halloween and Harry is back at this stupid house, the same place he’s been every night for the last three weeks. But this time he’s doing the whole house, beginning to end. He’s not alone, though.

“You ready, babe?” Louis asks, squeezing his hand.

“Yeah,” Harry replies nervously.

“Hey,” Louis says. “You don’t have to do this. I was kidding when I said this was the only way I would go on a official date with you.”

“I know,” Harry sighs. “Kind of. I want to do it.”

“And then we get to go on a real date,” Louis says excitedly, swinging their interlocked hands a little. It’s not that he didn’t want to go out with Harry, it’s just that this job is kind of an every night type of thing. He convinced his boss to give him a break so he can take Harry through the house tonight, but that's all he's gotten. So Harry’s been meeting him either before or after his shift each night, waiting with a warm drink and a shy grin each time.

“Finally,” Harry agrees. They walk up to the front of the house, where the ticket collector waves them through without a second glance. He’s so used to Harry now he doesn’t even bother taking his ticket.

Five minutes, a lot of screams, and three jumps later; Louis emerges from the house, Harry in his arms.

“I should’ve known that would happen,” he chuckles, setting Harry on the ground.

“For old times sake,” Harry grins, tugging Louis over to kiss him, soft and sweet.

“I can say I did it though,” Harry announces proudly as they walk back to Harry’s car.

“You did,” Louis agrees. “And now you have a whole year until you have to do it again.”

“Oh no,” Harry exclaims. “Hell no. Never again.”

“I’ll hold your hand,” Louis tells him.

“Alright,” Harry concedes. “Maybe once more.”

Harry does that stupid house every year following. Louis laughs every time.


End file.
